Automatic time-controlled draft regulator



-0. 'LINDHOLM. AUTOMATIC TIME commouao'm'n REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC; 13. 1920- ,435,535, Patented Nov. 14, 19221.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

"o. LINDHOLM. AUTOMATIC TIME CONTROLLED DRAFT REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED DECTIB, 1920.

1,435,535. Patented Nov. 14,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

UNITED STATS 1,435,535, 1 PATENT- OFFICE.

OSCAR LINDI-IOLM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FUENTES 'TO ANTON RICKER AND TWO-TENTHS TO GUNARD MAG-NUSON, BOTH OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC TIME-CONTROLLED DRAFT REGULATOR.

Application filed December 13, 1920. Serial No. 430,130..

T 0 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, OSCAR LINDHOLM, asubject of the King of Sweden, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, whose post-offi'ce address is No. 2321 South \Vashtenaw Avenue, in said city,

boilers and the like, and has reference more I particularly to that type of automatic regu lator which is controlled as to the time ofv its operation by an alarm clock, so that the regulator may be set to operate at any predetermined time by setting the alarm of the clock at such time, and will automatically perform its function when the alarm of the clock is released.

So far as I am aware, most clock controlled regulators of this type are positively actuated to open the draft door or damper by means of a weight or spring which is normally held inactive by a catch, and the alarm winder of the clock performs the function of releasing the catch at the proper time and thus permit the weight or spring to act.

Devices of this character are somewhat unreliable, mainly for the reason that the catch or look which holds the weight or spring inactive is not infrequently-released by accidental means.

According to my present invention,; I provide a continuous operating-connection between the draft controlling member and the-alarm winder of the clock so that, when the operating spring of the latter is released, it constitutes the motor for directly and positively actuating the draft control ling member, thereby doing away entirely with the presence ofweights, springs, and catches, and rendering the operation of the regulator more positive and certain.

One principal contemplated application of my invention is an automatic regulator for steam boilers, and for this purpose it is designed to perform the double function of, first opening up the draft at a predetermined hour, established by the clock, and, second, again closing the draft after steam. has been gotten up and has reached a predetermined pressure. To this end, the device in its pre ferred and most complete form is equipped with a clutch mechanism connected to the lever of'the usual automatic diaphragm governor commonly employed on steam boilers, the releasing of said clutch permitting the draft controlling member to return automatically to its normal closed position.

i From the foregoing it will be evident that the chief objects of the present invention, are, first, to provide an automatic draftregulator which shall be'free from the objections inherent in the use of weights, springs and clock controlled catches and shall be positive and-certain in its operation by using thespring of the alarm winder as a motor for moving-the draft door or other draft controlling element to open position; and, second, to provide an automatic draft regulatorwhich will open the draft at a predetermined time when steam is to be gotten up and will automatically close the draft after the steam has reached a predetermined pressure.

In orderto make my invention, and its novel structural features and mode of operation entirelyclear to personsskilled in the art, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one practical and operative embodiment of the same, and referring thereto.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an ordinary steam boiler furnace of a type commonly employed for domestic use, showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2" is aside elevation of the clock actu- 1 ated mechanism for opening the draft door, including a clutch mechanism operated by the diaphragm governor for disconnecting the winding drum-from the windingshaft;

Fig. .8 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view in longitudinal sectionthrough the winding drum, winding shaft and clutch.

Referring to the drawings 5 may designate as an entirety a steam boiler equipped with the usual hinged draft door 6 covering the opening to the ash-pit, and with theusual diaphragm governor 7 connected to the usual weighted governor lever 8, one end of which latter is in common practice usually connected by a cord or chain to the door 6.

Mounted upon a shelf 9, or any other. suitable support above the boiler is my automatic regulator, of which 10 designates a base plate on which is rigidly mounted an ordinary alarm clock 11. Rising from,

the base-plate 10 area pair of standards 12; and 13, in which is journaled. a shaft 14, one end of which is coupled at 15..to..the.

alarmv winder 16. of the clock, while. its other end carries an-operating handle 17. Also mounted on the base 10 are a pair of standards 18 and 19,: in and. betweenwwhich is journaled a countershaft 20. Fast on the shaft 14: is a spur pinion:=21 which meshes with a spur gear 22 that is keyed on the-shaft- 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Loose on 'the shaft 20 at oneside of the gear 22 is'a winding drum or spool 23, on

which is wound a cord 24, that extends down to and is connected 'with the free edge of the draft door 6, as-clearly shown in On one end of the drum 23 is formed a clutch member 25; and splined on the shaft "20 so as to slide lengthwise of the latter is' woo-operating clutch member '26 normally urged into engagement with the clutch member 25 by a spring27. As shown, the hub of the clutch member 26 isformed with a longitudinal slot 28 that is engaged with a cross-pin 29 liked in the shaft 20 whereby theclutch member 26 is keyed to the shaft for-rotary movement with the latter, but

operates against the outer surface of the upright 19. The cam35 is formed with an integral arm or handle 36'that extends through a vertical slot in akeeper bracket 37 attached to the outer-side of the post 19, whereby the arm orhandle ofthecam is guided and supported laterally so as tto swing only in a vertical plane. To the free end of the cam handle 36 is connecteda chain or cord 38 that'extends' upwardly over one or more guidepulleys 39, thence downwardly, and is connected at 10 to one end of the diaphragm governor lever .8,

When the boiler is adjusted to'maintain a low fire, under which no steam is generated, the parts arein the relative positions illustrated in Fig. land by fulllines in Figs. 2 and 3. hen the alarm is sprung at the predetermined hour in the morning, the alarm winder 16,-through the'gears 21 and 22,'shaft 20-and elutch26, 25, winds the cord 24: upwardly, thereby raising'the draft door 6. As soon as steam has been gencrated, the pressure thereof acting on the diaphragm governor 7, swings the lever 8 in a manner to draw downwardly on the chain- This rocks the.

or cord 38 "attached thereto.

The clutch be manifest that'the details of construction and arrangement may be variously modified without'involving any departure from theinvention or sacrificing any advantages thereof.

spirit and purview of the 'appende d claims.

I claim: 1. In a time-controlled draft regulator for boilers,--the combination of an alarm clock, a winding shaft directly coupled to the alarm winder of said clock, a pinionon said windlng shaft, a countershaft, a gear on said countershaft meshing with said pinion, a winding drumon said counter shaft, and a cord extending from said winding drum to a draft regulating element of the-boiler.

2. In a time-controlled draft regulator for boilers, the combination'of an alarm clock, a winding shaft directly. coupled to the alarm w-inder'of said clock, a pinion on said winding shaft, a countershaft, a gear fast on said countershaftmeshing with said pinion, a winding drum loose on said countershaft, a cord extending from said winding drum to adraft regulating element of the boiler, a clutch normally coupling said drum to said countershaft, and 'means actuated-bysteam pressure generated in the boiler for disconnecting said clutch;

3. Ina'time-controlled draft regulator for boilers,the combination of an alarm clock,

a winding shaft directly coupledto the alarm winder of said clock, a pinion on said winding-shaft, a counter shaft, a gear fast on said countershaft meshing with said pinion,a winding'drum loose on said countershaft, a cord extending from said wind ing' drum to a draft regulating element of the boiler, a clutch member rigid with said drum, a mating clutch-member splined on said countershaft, a spring urging I said clutchmembersinto coupled relation, and means actuated by steam pressure'generated in the boiler for retracting said lastnamed clutch member=against the thrust of said. spring.

4. In a time-controlled draft regulator for boilers, the combination of an alarm clock; a winding shaft! directly coupled to the: alarm winder of said clock, a pinion on said winding shaft, a countershaft, a gearfast on-said countershaft meshing with said pinion,- a winding drum loose on said coun-t tel-shaft, a cord extending from said wind- Hence, I reserve all such varia-' tions and modifications as fall'withln the ing drum to the draft door of the boiler, a clutch member on one end of said drum, a

mating clutch member splined on said coun--:

to said spring-actuated clutch member for retracting thelatter, and means actuated by steam pressure actuating said cam. v 1

5. In a time-controlled draft regulator for boilers, the combination of an alarm clock, a winding shaft directly coupledto the, alarm Winder of said clock, a pinion on said Winding-shaft, a countershaft, a gear fast generated in the boiler for on said counte'rshaft meshing with said I pinion, a' Winding drum loose on said coun-f f tershaft, a cord extending from said Wind ing drumzto the draft door of the boiler, a. clutch member on one end of said drum, a 20 mating clutch member splined on said counv ter shaft a spring urging said last-named" clutch-member into'ooupled relation with said drum, a cam, a connection from saidfl a cam to said spring-actuated clutchmember'25 I for retractingthe: latter, and a pull cord connecting said 'cam to the diaphragm gov ernor lever of the boiler I S- R LI HOLM. 

